Engraving-machine.



PATENTED- APR. 1'7, 1906.

P. V; AVRIL.

ENGRAVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 818,137. I PATBNTED APR. 17, 1906 P. v. AVRIL. ENGRAVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1904.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2 u mm w W w% my Q? E I wj H H H- PATENTED APR. 17

P. V. AVRIL. BNGRAVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3,

, wdi A PAUL VICTOR AVRIL, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ENGRAVING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filed August 24 1904. Serial No. 221,985.

To (bi/l: whmn 711/ rmty concern.-

Be it known that 1, PAUL Vrcron AVRIL, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at Paris, France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Engr aving-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates generally to an e11- graving-machine of a typeadapted for automatically reproducing from drawings either intaglio orrelief copies of complete designs, design elements, or the like.

My invention as herein embodied employs mechanism substantially similar,eX- cepting certain features to be hereinafter pointed out, to themechanism which I have fully described in an application filed August25, 1904, and serially numbered 222,188. I will therefore in thisapplication give but a general description of the same, referring to myother application for details of construction.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate a machine such asmaybe employed for carrying my invention into effect. I Wish itunderstood, however, that I do not limit myself to either the eXactconstruction or arrangement of parts shown, as it will be obvious thatvarious other mechanisms may be employed operating in substantially thesame manner to produce practically the same result.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is aview in diagram illustrating the operation of reproducing designelements, first as in the original, then in the reverse order. Fig. 3 isa similar view illustrating the same operation, modified by varying onedimension of the design as re roduced. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view0" the machine, taken on the line S S of Fig. 1. Fig. 5is a detail viewshowing the design-cylinder, model-cylinder, and the tools whichcooperate therewith. Fig. 6 is a view in diagram of the variouscircuits, and Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the clutch mechanisminterposed between the tracing-style and the cutting-tool.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a cylinder, upon the surfaceof which the design elements or the like to be reproduced are drawn,stamped, or otherwise formed in outline, solid color, or in any othersuitable manner, as indicated at 2, with an ink or paint possessing nonconducting qualities and which when applied to the cylinder forms aninsulating-coating over that portion of the surface which it covers. Thecylinder 1 may be solid, hollow, or a mere shell, as may be found mostconvenient. As shown, a hollow cylinder is employed and mounted upon amandrel 3, being insulated from the same, as indicated at 4, andcentered relatively thereto by interposed sleeves or plugs 5 5. In akeyway, formed in the mandrel, a pin or lug 6 of one of the sleeves 5projects, and through this connection the cylinder is caused to rotatewith the mandrel, being free at the same time to move lengthwisethereof. The mandrel is held between the centers of the head and tailstocks of a lathe 7, motion to which is transmitted from a shaft 8through suitable gearing, as shown, and which is fully described in myapplication above referred to. The carriage 9 of the lathe, controlledin the usual manner by a lead-screw 10, is provided with a bearing 11 toreceive the projecting end of one of the sleeves 5, and thus connectedthe carriage and cylinder move together in either direction lengthwiseof the lathe-bed.

A blank in the form of a cylinder 12, of metal or other suitablematerial, upon the surface of which the design is to be reproduced, ismounted in a second lathe 13, motion to which is transmitted from shaft8 through suitable gearing, the detail construction of which isdescribed in the application to which I have previously referred.

Cooperating with the design-cylinder there is a tracing point or style14, carried by a pivoted arm 15, which is adjustable by means ofvertical and cross feeds 16 17, upon the carriage 18 of lathe 13.Cooperating with the blank-cylinder there is a cutting-tool 19,rotatably mounted in a cross-slide 20 of the carriage 18 and driven bymeans of a belt 21, passing around pulleys arranged in a manner topermit the tool to move transversely and longitudinally of the lathewhile being driven. As both the style and cutting-tool are carried bythe carriage 18 of the lathe 13, movement of the same longitudinally oftheir respective cylinders is imparted by the leadscrew 22 through theusual connection with the carriage,

Movement of the cutting-tool transversely of the lathe is controlled bythe style through interposed mechanism now to be described. Motion froma rock-shaft 23, mounted upon the carriage 18, is imparted to thecross-slide 20 by means of a crank 24 and connectingrod 25. Therock-shaft is oscillated through the action of two clutches 26 and 27,one of IIO which rotates continuously, toward the right and the othercontinuously toward the left. Each clutch consists of a series ofelectromagnets 80, carried by a worm-gear 81, free to turn upon therock-shaft and in mesh with and driven by a worm 82 on a shaft 83.Motion from the shaft 8 is transmitted to the worm-shaft by a series ofsuitably-arranged pulleys. The clutches are arranged one on each side ofa disk 30, of brass or other nonmagnetic metal, which is made fast tothe shaft 23 and serves to support flat-ring armatures 28 and 29, whichare mounted thereon to rotate with the disk and have a limited movementtoward the magnets. Current to the clutches is controlled by the stylethrough an automatic switch, carried by an arm or sector 31, fast uponthe rock shaft. As shown in Fig. 4, the switch-lever 32 is pivoted at 33and has a limited movement between screw-stops 34 34, carried by abracket 35, adjustably secured upon a curved arm 36 of the carriage 18.

.41, brush 42, and contact-ring 43 with the magnets of clutch 26, and asimilar set of connections 44 45 46 are provided from post 38 to themagnets of the other clutch 27. The return-circuit from these magnets isthrough rings 47 47, brushes 48 48,wires 49 49, brush 50, and bar 51 toa source of current-supply 52.

Cooperating with the contact-screws of posts 37 38 there is a pin 53,carried by the switch-lever 32, which is so arranged as to engage one orthe other of the screws 39 40 as the lever is thrown toward the right orleft as viewed in Fig. 4 and close the circuit through one of theclutches, the pin 53 being connected with the source of current supply,as shown in Fig. 6, by a wire 54, brush 55, and bar 56.

Movement of the switch-lever toward the left, Fig. 4, is effected bymeans of an electromagnet 57, mounted upon the sector 31, and toward theright by means of a spring 58. will therefore be seen that in theoperation of the machine when the spring 58 is acting the pin 53 of theswitchlever contacts with screw 39 and closes the circuit through theclutch 26, controlling rotation of the rockshaft toward the right, Fig.4, and the resulting motion imparted to the cross slide through thecrank 24 and connecting-rod 25 will be such as to move the tool 19toward the cylinder. When the magnet 57 is energized, the switch-leverswings toward the left, causing the pin 53 to contact with the screw 40and close the circuit through the clutch 27, which, as viewed in Fig. 4and indicated in Fig. 1, rotates toward the left, and the rockshaftunder its influence moving in the same direction acts through the crank24, connecting-rod 25, and cross-slide 20 to move the tool away from thecylinder.

The magnet 57 is connected with the source of current-supply by the bar56, brush 59, wire 60, brush 61, cylinder 1, style 14, and wire 62, thereturn-circuit from the magnet being by way of the wire 63, brush 64,and bar 51. The opening and closing of the circuit through the magnet 57is effected by movement of the cylinder in contact with the point of thestyle. If, as shown in Fig. 6, the design is represented in solid color,the cir cuit through the magnet 57 will be broken when the point of thestyle is traversing that portion of the surface covered by the design,and at such times the switch-lever under the action of the spring 58will be drawn over to the position shown in Fig. 4 to close the circuitthrough the clutch 26, which, as above described, acts to move the toolinward to ward the cylinder. When the style is traversing that portionof the cylinder not covered by the design, the circuit through themagnet 57 is completed and the switch-lever is shifted to close thecircuit of clutch 27, which thereupon reverses the movement of the tool,causing it to move away from the cylinder.

The depth of cut produced by the tool is regulated and rendered uniformthroughout the entire design by the screw-stops 34 34, above describedas coacting with the switch-lever. It being understood that the sectoris fast upon the rock-shaft and moves with the same, it will be seenthat when the switch-lever is thrown over by the spring, as shown inFig. 4, to close the circuit through the clutch 26 it will act to rotatethe rockshaft and sector thereon toward the right and move the toolinward toward the cylinder, as above described, the eXtent of suchmovement determining the depth of cut produced. As the switch-leverstrikes the stop 34 its motion is suddenly checked and the continuedadvance of the sector separates the contact-pins 39 53 and breaks thecircuit. The clutch 26 thereupon ceases to act and the tool continues tocut at the depth to which it is adjusted as the cylinder 12 is rotatedun til the circuit through the magnet 57 is completed by the style,which after traversing a portion of the designrepresented, for example,at in Fig. 4contacts directly with the surface of the cylinder. Themagnet be ing thus energized attracts its armaturei. e. theswitch-leverand causes the same to swing over until the pins 40 53 meetand close the circuit through the clutch 27. This results in rocking theshaft and sector toward the left, and such movement continues until thetool just clears the surface of the cylind er, when further movement ofthe switchlever is checked by the stop 34. The con tinued advance of thesector separates the contact-pins 4O 53 and breaks the clutch-circuit,and thereafter the tool is held clear of the cylinder untilmagnet-circuit is broken by another portion of the design upon thecylinder 1 passing under the point of the .style, when the spring 58again acts and throws the switch-lever over, as shown in Fig. 4, whichresults in repeating the cutting op eration, as above described.

The bars 51 56, 850., included in the various circuits, as abovedescribed, are fixed and extend lengthwise of the bed of the lathe 7,and the brushes 5() 55 64, &c., are secured to the carriage 18 andmovable therewith in contact with the bars.

Referring to Fig. 6, I have shown a switch 66 arranged to control anelectromagnetic clutch 67, by means of which the direction of rotationof the lead-screw 10 may be automatically reversed at predeterminedpoints in the travel of the carriage 9 when moving in either direction.I have also shown two switches 68 69, controlling an electromagneticclutch 70 upon the shaft 8, which is ar ranged to operate a belt-shifterand stop the machine in the event of the driving-belt of clutches 26 27breaking or running off its pulleys or when through inattenti on thecarriage is permitted to feed too far toward the right. As these devicesare fully described in my application above referred to, a detaildescription is not herein deemed necessary.

In reproducing a design of the dimensions of the original and with thefigures or elements thereof arranged in the same order as in theoriginal the operation is as follows: Assuming that the design-cylinderand the cylindrical blank are properly mounted in their respectivelathes, the style and cutting-tool are then adjusted relatively to theircylinders and the lead-screw 10 is thrown out of gear, so that thecarriage 9 remains at rest. As the machine is started up thedesign-cylinder begins to rotate, presenting first an insulated portion,then an uninsulated portion of its surface for contact with the stylewhich re sults, through the connections described, in vibrating theswitch-lever between the posts 37 88 and closing the circuit throughfirst one clutch, then the other. The clutches acting alternately uponthe rock-shaft oscillate the same, and. such oscillations transmittedthrough the crank 24 and connectingrod 25 impart a reciprocatingmovement to the cross-slide 20, upon which the tool 19 is mounted. Thedepth of cut produced by the tool may be regulated by varying thedistance separating the adjustable stops 34 34, as above described, thelength of cut circumferentially of the cylinder being controlled by thestyle in making and breaking the circuit through the magnet 57 as ittraverses the surface of the design-cylinder. Under the action of thelead-screw of the lathe 18 the carriage 18 thereof, together with the 65style, cuttingtool, and interposed clutch mechanism mounted thereon, areadvanced. uniformly along the cylinders 1 and 12, continuing theoperation as above described throughout that portion of the cylinder 1containing the design and reproducing upon the cylinder 12 an exactduplicate thereof, as indicated in Fig. 2, between the arrow-points a.This being the usual method of operation, let it now be assumed that thedesign-cylinder contains only half of a symmetrical figure (representedby the elements I) bin Fig. 2) and that it is desired to reproduce thedesign complete upon the blank. The elements 1) b, appearing upon thecylinder, are first duplicated, as indicated at b N, and during thisstep in the operation the carriage 9 is at rest and the style andcutting-tool have the same movement longitudinally of their cylindersfrom point 0 to point 0 In order now to reproduce the elements I) 1)upon the blank in the reverse order, the lead-screw 10 of lathe 7 isthrown in with a train of gears, by which the carriage 9 1S advanced atdouble the speed of carriage 18. If now the machine be started up, thestyle moving from c to c in the same direction longitudinally of thelathe as the design-cylinder, but at only half the speed, will retracethe design appearing between the arrow-points a from right to left, andthereby cause the elements I) Z) to be reproduced upon the blank in thereverse order and combine with the duplicated ele ments b b in forming acomplete figure.

A design reproduced. in the manner just described may be furthermodified by varying its length, as represented in Fig. 3. If, forexample, the carriage 9 moves at three times the speed. of carriage 18,the reproduced design will be reproduced one-half lengthwise of thecylinder. If the speeds are one to four, the resulting reduction will beone-third, and so on.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. An automaticengraving-machine comprising a rotating pattern-cylinder having portionsof its surface covered with an insulating material, a tracing-stylecooperating therewith, means for rotatably supporting a cylindricalblank, a cutting-tool, electrically-controlled clutch mechanismoperatively connected to impart movement to the tool to and from theblank, a switch in the clutch-circuit, an oscillating support for theswitch, and means for shifting the switch as the style in traversing thesurface of the pattern-cylinder contacts with an uninsulated portionthereof.

2. An automatic engraving-machine comprising a rotating pattern-cylinderhaving portions of its surface covered with an insulating material, atracing-style cooperating therewith, means for rotatably supporting acylindrical blank, a cutting-tool, oppositely-acting clutcheselectrically controlled and operatively connected to impart movement tothe tool to and from the blank, a switch controlling current to theclutches, means for shifting the switch as the style moves in or out ofcontact with the uninsulated portions of the patterncylinder, and meansfor automatically opening the clutchcircuit after the switch is shiftedto limit the movement of the tool and render the depth of cut uniform.

8. An automatic engraving-machine com prising a rotatingpattern-cylinder having portions of its surface covered with aninsulating material, a tracing-style cooperating therewith, means forrotatably supporting a cylindrical blank, a cutting-tool,oppositely-acting clutches electrically controlled and operativelyconnected to impart movement to the tool to and from the blank, a switchcontrolling current to the clutches, a support for the switch mounted tohave a limited movement under the influence of the clutch in circuit, amagnet arranged to throw the switch, and requisite connections throughwhich the magnet is energized as the style moves in or out of contactwith uninsulated portions of the pattern-cylinder.

4. An automatic engraving-machine com prising a rotatingpattern-cylinder having portions of its surface covered with aninsulating material, a tracing-style cooperating therewith, means forrotatably supporting a cylindrical blank, a cutting-tool,oppositely-acting clutches electrically controlled and operativelyconnected to impart movement to the tool to and from the blank, aswitch, a spring for shifting the switch to close the circuit throughone of the clutches, a magnet for reversing the switch to close thecircuit through the other clutch, a support sle s? for the switchmovable under the influence of the clutch in circuit, adjustable stopsfor limiting the movement of one member of the switch, and requisiteconnections through which the magnet is energized as the style moves inor out of contact with uninsulated portions of the pattern-cylinder.

5. An automatic engraving-machine comprising in its construction, alathe and a carriage therefor, a pattern-cylinder mounted in the latheand movable lengthwise with the carriage under the control of the feedthereof, said pattern-cylinder having portions of its surface coveredwith an insulating material, a tracing-style cooperating with thecylinder, a source of current-supply, means for connecting the cylinderand style in circuit with the source of current-supply, a second latheproviding support for a cylindrical blank, a cutting-tool movable to andfrom the blank, a rock-shaft mounted upon the carriage of said secondlathe and operatively connected to impart movement to the tool,oppositely-acting clutches upon the shaft, said clutches beingelectrically operated, a switch controlling current to the clutches, asupport for the switch fast upon the rockshaft, means for shifting theswitch as the style moves in or out of contact with uninsulated portionsof the pattern-cylinder, and means for opening the clutch-circuit afterthe switch is shifted to limit the rotation of the rock-shaft to adefinite number of degrees in each direction.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

' PAUL VICTOR AVRIL.

Witnesses:

J. E. PEARSON, FRANK OCoNNoR

